The New York
Times on February 5, 2019 fact checked Trump’s remarks at the joint session of
Congress and here is how some of his remarks stacked up against the facts
(reproduced selectively).
1. The economy
“The U.S. economy is growing almost twice as fast
today as when I took office, and we are considered far and away the hottest
economy anywhere in the world.”
This is false. The American economy had grown at
an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018. Growth in Latvia
and Poland was almost double the rate. Same for China and India. In fact, the turbulent
Greek economy recorded stronger growth. A wide range of economic analysts
estimate that the growth of the American economy slowed in the fourth quarter,
and further decelerated in the first month of 2019.
“We recently imposed tariffs on $250 billion of
Chinese goods — and now our Treasury is receiving billions and billions of
dollars.”
This is true. Since tariffs were imposed by Mr.
Trump on certain imports from China along with, imported steel and aluminium
from around the world, the federal tariff revenues have increased. Custom duty
revenues, which include tariffs, increased by $13 billion in the third quarter
of 2018 compared with a year earlier, as reported by the Commerce Department.
Technically, that money is paid by Americans who bring the goods across the
border, and it is often passed in the form of greater prices to American
Consumers.
“My
administration has cut more regulations in a short period of time than any
other administration during its entire tenure.”
This is false. The Trump administration has reduced the speed of
adopting new rules, and it has moved to nullify some existing or proposed
federal regulations. This is particularly in the area of environmental
protection. The White House claimed that as of October, a total of $33 billion
worth of future regulator costs had been removed. But experts say the scale of
the nullification in the Trump era still does not surpass the extensive cuts in
federal rules during the Carter and Reagan administrations, when rules governing
airline, truck and rail transportation were wiped off the books, among other
changes.
“We have created 5.3 million new jobs and
importantly added 600,000 new manufacturing jobs — something which almost
everyone said was impossible to do, but the fact is, we are just getting
started.”
This is false. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reports that since January 2017, when President Trump took office, the economy
has added 4.9 million jobs, including 454,000 jobs in manufacturing. Far from
being “impossible,” that is closely comparable to the pace of job creation
during some two-year periods during the Obama administration, and significantly
sluggish compared to the rate of job creation in manufacturing in the 1990s.
Wages were “growing for blue-collar workers, who I
promised to fight for. They are growing faster than anyone thought possible.”
This is true. Wages are increasing faster for workers
in construction and manufacturing industries compared to those working in
service occupations, according to the Labor Department.
“More people are working now than at any time in
our history.”
This is misleading
or false. While the
total number of people working in the United States is unprecedented, it is not
because of the president’s policies. It is because more people than ever live
in the United States.
2. Immigration
“The
border city of El Paso, Tex., used to have extremely high rates of violent
crime — one of the highest in the entire country, and considered one of our
nation’s most dangerous cities. Now, immediately upon its building, with a
powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of the safest cities in our country.”
This is false. El Paso was never one of the most
dangerous cities in the United States, and crime has been declining in cities
across the country, not just in El Paso alone. This is for reasons that have
nothing to do with border fencing.
“San Diego used to have the most illegal border
crossings in our country. In response, a strong security wall was put in place.
This powerful barrier almost completely ended illegal crossings.”
This is misleading. Border apprehensions decreased by
91 percent in the San Diego sector between the 1994 fiscal year, right after
the original border fencing was completed, to the 2018 fiscal year. But,
according to the Congressional Research Service, that fence alone “did not have
a discernible impact” on immigrant numbers crossing the border into the United
States illegally.
“As we speak, large, organized caravans are on the
march to the United States.”
This is exaggerated. At the end of January, a new caravan of thousands of
migrants from Central America was headed north, and some intend to cross into
the United States. However, thanks in part to policies introduced by the new
Mexican government, many in the caravan have said that they plan to remain in
Mexico. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has made it easier for Central
Americans to get visas and work in Mexico. President Trump’s warnings of a
fast-approaching invasion from new caravans is exaggerated.
“I hope you can pass the U.S.M.C.A. into law, so we
can bring back our manufacturing jobs in even greater numbers, expanding
American agriculture, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring that more
cars are proudly stamped with the four beautiful words: Made in the U.S.A.”
This is
exaggerated. The
revised trade deal with Canada and Mexico, known as the United
States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, does include provisions that are intended to
bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. For instance, minimum wage
provisions for some auto manufacturing. Yet, some economists have said those
provisions could ultimately push more manufacturing and jobs outside North
America. The deal does allow American farmers to sell more dairy products to
Canada. But the trade pact has yet to be approved by Congress, and both
Democrats and Republicans say that is unlikely to happen without serious
changes.
3. Foreign policy
"When
I took office, ISIS controlled more than 20,000 square miles in Iraq and Syria.
Just two years ago. Today, we have liberated virtually all of the territory
from the grip of these bloodthirsty monsters.”
This is true. The Defence Department reports
that the Islamic State now dominates only around 20 square miles of territory
in Syria, down from 34,000 in 2014. But many of the gains against the Sunni
extremist caliphate began under President Barack Obama, with the Trump
administration continuing the previous administration policy. The top American
military commander in the Middle East told a Senate hearing that the Islamic State could return if
the United States and its allies abandoned the fight. In December, Mr. Trump
announced he was withdrawing American troops from Syria.
“We condemn the brutality of the Maduro regime,
whose socialist policies have turned that nation from being the wealthiest in
South America into a state of abject poverty and despair.”
This is misleading. This has become a popular point
of discussion among American conservatives. It is true that under President
Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela has been brought to economic ruin. Inflation is at colossal
rates, and ordinary people are struggling to get basic food and health
supplies. Three million citizens have fled. Some of the collapse can be traced
to Mr. Maduro’s economic policies, which do fall under the broad label of
socialism. But analysts say that corruption, the lack of rule of law and the
absence of democracy, all the hallmarks of a dictatorship have played equivalent
or larger roles. Then, we have U.S. sanctions imposed for regime
change. What has that resulted in Libya, Iraq and Syria? Chaos and anarchy.
“If I had not been elected president of the United
States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North
Korea."
There is no
evidence and pure propaganda. In 2016, at the end of the Obama administration,
there was no sign that the United States and North Korea were about to go to
war, despite Pyongyang conducting nuclear tests and the previous
administration’s continued economic sanctions. In Mr. Trump’s first year in
office, he increased tensions with North Korea by attacking its leader, Kim
Jong-un, in a series of Twitter posts, which prompted hostile statements from
Pyongyang. Mr. Trump wrote that North Korea’s actions would be met with “fire
and fury” and called Mr. Kim “Little Rocket Man.” Analysts said within that period
, the chances of war between the two nations had grown
because of these exchanges.
Heart of the Matter?
The heart of the matter is
integrity, the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
Politicians need to have integrity as they serve society not themselves. People
also view their statements from a moral, ethical perspective and reflects the
character of an individual.
What about in Malaysia?
We have three politicians in
power with questionable degrees. No matter what is said and done, this is a
reflection of the previous administration and we have had enough of that!
* This article has been adapted from “State of the Union Fact Check :
What Trump Got Right and Wrong”, by the New York Times.
